Ratnagiri ZP School teacher nabbed for molesting minor girl

AI generated image

Mumbai/Ratnagiri: In a shocker, Ratnagiri Police have arrested a Zilla Parishad school teacher along with nine others in connection with the alleged molestation of a 12-year-old girl and subsequent attempts to hush up the matter, official sources said.

Following a complaint by the survivor’s family, Bankot Sagari Police Station lodged an FIR against the prime accused, Nilesh Ashok Kamble, and nine others, including the Village Head and Deputy Sarpanch of Jawle, for intimidating the family to “let go” the crime.

The accused named in the FIR are: Jawle Village Head Sandeep Yashwant Kamble, Deputy Sarpanch Vaibhav Pandurang Bhanse, Raghunath Gunaji Bhanse, Prakash Ramji Shigwan, Pandurang Yashwant Shigwan, Subhash Ramji Shigwan, Manohar Janu Joshi, Shankar Ramji Hodbe, and Rakesh Salunkhe.

According to the FIR registered by Inspector Sanjay Vitthal Chavan, the July 23 incident unfolded when teacher Kamble allegedly lured two girl students, both aged around 12, to his home after school on the pretext of retrieving his “forgotten” mobile charger from the staff room of Sharda Vidyamandir School.

Once inside, he sent one girl out to buy eggs, leaving the other alone. At that point, he closed the door and allegedly pounced on her, kissing and touching her inappropriately, thereby outraging her modesty.

When the terrified girl raised her voice threatening to expose him, Kamble panicked and abruptly released her from his clutches.

Finally, six days later, she confided in her relatives and her friend, and the revelations sparked outrage in Jawle especially as a similar case surfaced in nearby Dabhol village.

When her family attempted to file a police complaint, local leaders, political activists, and pressure groups allegedly forced them into silence, warning that the girl’s future would be “permanently stigmatised.”

At a compromise meeting at the house of Subhash Ramji Shigwan, he purportedly advised the family to leave Jawle quietly and shift to Palghar until matters cooled down.

Though they initially agreed, conscience pricked them, and they returned home soon, determined to pursue justice for their daughter so other young girls could be spared of such trauma.

After enduring more drama and duress the family finally managed to lodge the complaint at Bankot Sagari Police Station in Mandangad, around 12 km away.

The teacher Kamble has been booked under BNSS Section 74 (1–5 years imprisonment) and POCSO Act Sections 8, 12, and 21, which carry up to three years’ jail and fines. He has been remanded to 14 days’ court custody.

The disturbing incident has shaken Ratnagiri, fueling demands for swift justice to the 2 victims and stronger safeguards for girl children, even as investigations continue.

“No mercy for 'monsters',” says Minister Yogesh Kadam

Quizzed on the twin molestation incidents that shook Jawle and Dabhol villages in July, Minister of State for Home, Yogesh Kadam took a firm stand, saying “we are fully behind the victims”, earning laurels in his home constituency, Dapoli.

“Both the incidents took place not in the respective schools, but at the homes of the accused. I am with the villagers’ sentiments that there is no place for such ‘monsters’ in our society and they cannot be condoned in any manner. I have directed the local authorities to take stringent action against these persons,” said a grim Kadam.

Tejas Borghare, Editor of a local channel, www.kokankattanews.com – which first highlighted the incident – said that the two similar incidents of molestations have shaken the people of Ratnagiri.

The MoS’ stance is considered significant as some of the accused are reportedly activists of Shiv Sena, the ruling MahaYuti ally.